Here is a fun and interesting revolver pendant made of 14k gold with a mother of pearl handle. This is an excellent replica with a lot of detail and the cylinder also rotates!

It comes on a 14k gold chain and is in excellent condition. A nice, large size, not a petite charm bracelet sized charm. Stamped “14k” on the nose of the gun. It has also been acid tested for gold content.

The Wild Wild West was an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons 1965 1969. Two television movies were also made with the original cast in 1979 and 1980, and the series was adapted for a motion picture in 1999 with a new cast and story.

Pictured here is a copy of the Wild Wild West #7 from Gold Key from the 8.5 Bethlehem pedigree with Robert Conrad on the cover. This comic is newsstand fresh and looks and feels like a brand new comic with a very small impact dent bottom left corner. The was the last issue with the Wild Wild West and is a very valuable sought after collectible.

Shown here is an original map from the Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, published by the Secretary of War, unquestionably the most complete set of accurate maps of the Civil War ever published. The title of the atlas appears in the top left area and plate number in the upper right, a date of 1860 is printed on the map. A copy of the title page is also included with all the publishing particulars for genuineness.

The atlas was distributed in a very limited context to be distributed to government officials in the three houses of government as a reference for assessing the Civil War. This is from the original first publishing that lasted from 1891-1895.

This very detailed and remarkable map shows forts, wagon trails and routes. Idaho is actually labeled as Washington Territory and Arizona is still part of New Mexico Territory. This map is available on eBay with a buy it now price of just $149.

Take a look at some more antique maps to start of complete your collection.

Here is an amazing set of antique books about the wild west. O’Henry’s brilliant works presented in gorgeous leather bindings. Extremely well preserved. Each volume contains a frontis protected by tissue and several plates.

This set includes the following titles:

Heart of the West

The Gentle Grafter

Rolling Stones

The Trimmed lamp

The Voice of the City

Roads of Destiny

Strictly Business

Sixes and Sevens

Options

Cabbages and Kings

The Four Million

Whirligigs

Famous for the short story, O. Henry wrote with realistic detail based on his first hand experiences both in Texas and in New York City. In 1907, he published many of his Texas stories in The Heart of the West, a volume that includes “The Reformation of Calliope,” “The Caballero’s Way,” and “The Hiding of Black Bill.” Another highly acclaimed Texas writer, J. Frank Dobie, later referred to O. Henry’s “Last of The Troubadours” as “”the best range story in American fiction.”

Pictured here is an original oil on canvas painting by Santiago Perez. This painting which is titled “Round Up” is signed and dated on veso. The painting is very large at 54″ H by 112″W. This appears to be a pretty rare find a of such a Old Western painting of this size by such an accomplished artist. “Round Up” is available on eBay with a buy it now price of $12,499 or best offer.

Santiago Pérez is an artist living near Tijeras, New Mexico, was born in San Antonio, Texas and also lived in many small towns around the south Texas area.
Santiago’s artwwork has been purchased by several corporations and many individuals throughout the United States. He is represented by the Sandy Carson Gallery in Denver, Victoria Boyce Galleries in Scottsdale, A Muse Gallery in Columbus, Ohio, Nuart Gallery in Santa Fe, and the Bison Legacy Gallery in Cody, Wyoming.

Stimulated by his family and an artist uncle, Santiago performed drawing and painting, learning mostly by copying from TV cartoons, horse and wildlife magazine, and children’s books on the West. He was an elementary school teacher for a brief time, illustrated children’s materials, and then served in the Air Force for 24 years. He pursued his art interests, practicing figurative drawing and painting, as well as immersing himself in art history. Santiago first exhibited his work when the Air Force stationed him in West Berlin, and he continued to develop his painting in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and Denver, Colorado.

The attractive Colorado terrain inspired Santiago to develop into a landscape painter working in numerous styles and approaches, from naturalist to symbolic/abstract works. An enthusiastic student and open to many forms of creative expression, Santiago also painted on metal, made cutout painted forms, and installed several thematic environments.

Here is a hard to find Howard Council calf roping saddle that was produced around 1973. Howard Council Is an artisan who has been custom saddles Since 1950s. Howard is now 84 Years old and while he is still producing saddles at his shop in Lawton Oklahoma, he stopped taking orders a couple years ago and will just fulfill his last remaining orders.

This saddle has Floral Tooling On The Skirts, Pommel And Fenders, a 15″ padded suede seat and the fleece appears to be in top condition. This saddle is available on eBay with a buy it now price of $3,995 or best offer.

Take a look at this Vintage George Lawrence Gunslinger Holster and Belt. This George Lawrence Company Gun Slinger II holster and belt set is model # 79 and the holster is model #557. This holster fits a Ruger Blackhawk .357 magnum 6 1/2″ barrel, and may also fit other similar size models. The belt is a size medium, 38″ waist, and has 25 cartridge loops that fit .357 magnums . Both are in great condition for their age, and show normal wear, and scuffs from carrying a firearm. This holster and belt set is available on eBay for $249.

You are asleep in your bunk inside the Pig House when your favorite piglet lets out a squeal. You dash to the nearest window and discover that Red Dawg, the nefarious pig rustler, is sneaking up on your pig pen with his herd of wild range hogs…

Scenario Procedure

Shooter starts lying in bunk inside the Pig House, holding a stuffed pig. At the buzzer, shooter says, “Don’t worry,Little Darlin’, I’ll save you!” Shooter must keep stuffed pig on his or her body at all times. (We had shooters holdthe pig in their hand, between their legs, balanced on their hat, inside their suspenders, in their teeth, and oneinnovative lass stuffed the piggie in a cup of her bra, declaring, “I’m breast feeding! “) Shooter goes into theadjacent room and retrieves his/her rifle. Shooter returns to the left window and engages the single rifle targetswinging back and forth on a pendulum-nine times. Shooter then goes outside to the pig pen to engage pigpistol targets (mounted on springs to bounce around when hit), alternating right to left. A cowboy target isbetween the two pig targets and is a no-hot target. Once both pistols are emptied, shooter places stuffed pig withwooden pigs in pig pen, grabs shotgun, and engages two swingers left to right.

Penalties:

Misses: 5 seconds
Dropping the pig: 10 seconds

The Guns:

Rifle:loaded with nine, chamber empty, staged beside right window inside Pig House.Pistols: two holstered, loaded with five rounds each, hammers on empty chambers.Shotgun: empty, leaning against fence in pig pence beside feed trough.Safety is the first consideration regarding all scenarios. The scenario may need to be modified based upon shooters or range capabilities. Shoot! Magazine does not accept liability for any accidents,injuries or other difficulties arising out of the use of its scenarios.Range officers and participants should always check out their scenarios for safe conditions before proceeding to shoot.

SPURS – The jingle-jangle of silver spurs makes the West come alive

By: Cactus Tubbs

Circa 1880. As the warm wind rolls across the Great Plains, it pays a visit on the cowtown of Dodge City, Kansas. The aroma of the longhorn cattle rides piggyback in the wind. Late at night one lone man methodically checks store and shop doors as he walks across the echoing boards of the town’s boardwalks. Glimpses of his badge of office reflect in the glow of oil street lamps and the Kansas moon. The sound of each of his steps drowns out the howl of the wind. Each time a boot heel meets the wooden planks, a sharp “jingle” immediately follows. As he lifts the next foot for another step, a crisp “jangle” is clearly heard. This distinctive “jingle-jangle” can only mean one thing; Festus Hagin from “Gunsmoke” is filling my TV screen.

I will forever remember Ken Curtis’s character, “Festus” and his trademark “jingle-jangle” sound with each step. As a young lad growing up in West Texas, I would suspend after-school activities until after “Gunsmoke”. Dad and I would sit like two bumps on logs glued to the screen, waiting for Matt Dillon to nab the outlaw, or for Doc and Festus to have one of their famous and usually hilarious arguments. But I noticed early on that Festus had to have the loudest set of spurs north, south, east, and west of the Pecos. I get amused now when I watch an episode (EVERY Sunday thanks to satellite TV!) and Festus is “jingle-jangling” trying to sneak up on a bad guy. Somehow, even with those amplified spurs he manages to surprise his opponent.

While I have no recollection of ever getting a good view of the spurs he wore in the series, had his spurs been “authentic” they likely would have been the “OK” style of spur. This type of spur was a very simplistic design and widely used throughout the West from 1880 through the 1930’s, inexpensive and practical to use and very functional. Literally thousands of these spurs were manufactured by one of the two large manufacturing companies; August Buermann of Newark, New Jersey, and North & Judd of New Britain, Connecticut. However, by the 1880’s a spur became an indicator of a cowboy’s status or a measure of his experience. Cowboys began seeking out more stylized spurs and the mass-produced spur began to give way to the custom-made set. The “OK” spur eventually became a sign of bad luck or inexperience.

“Buzz Saws,” “Gut Hooks,” “Cowboy Steel,” “Persuaders,” these are some of the colorful descriptions sometimes given to the cowboy’s spurs. But the spur dates back much farther than the 1880’s. In fact, some of the earliest spurs date back to 700 BC. By the 15th Century, spurs identified rank for Old World cavaliers, knights, and caballeros. Kings even awarded a horseman the “right” to wear spurs. The Spanish conquistadors introduced spurs to the New World by the 16th Century.

The early conquistador spurs were made of iron and had narrow heel bands, drooping shanks, and sizable rowels, six, eight and even up to ten inches in diameter. The spokes were long, narrow, and blunt.

As time passed, the sizeable large rowels began to diminish, and early metal artisans often replaced the spiky rowels with more of a serrated disk. The shanks also got shorter, and of course, engraving began to show up, as well as inlay of silver, brass, gold, and sometimes semi-precious stones. Often a “jingle-bob” or “dangler” was hung from the rowel, enhancing the “jingle-jangle” sound. I’m certain Festus had jingle-bobs on his spurs! But the fancy spurs were the exception, not the rule. Most early vaqueros and cowboys wore very simple spurs. The fancier the spur, the more it cost, although later a set of spurs often became a rather important part of the cowboy’s overall appearance.

While American cowboys initially wore Mexican spurs, it didn’t take long for specific styles to emerge distinguished by region. Texas-style spurs, made in Texas, Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma, were generally cruder than the California-style spurs from California, Nevada, and Oregon.

“In a general way, the latter were a trifle larger and silver-mounted, while the former lacked much of the ornament,” wrote Jo More in his book Trail Dust and Saddle Leather. Spurs that were developed in the Northern Plains often combined the styles.

California vaqueros were partial to their fancy spurs, which were generally of two-piece construction consisting of the shank and the heel band. The spurs were usually full-mounted with silver inlay on both sides of the heel band and shank. The engraved designs were intricate, the metal blued, and the edges of the heel bands often beveled. Often they featured fancy chap guards decorated with engraved spirals. Toward the later part of the 1800’s, G.S. Garcia was one of the most renowned of the California-style spur makers. He established his saddle shop in Elko, Nevada, in 1894. Mr. Garcia employed some of the most distinguished spur makers of the time. Garcia is best known for his Dandy patterns, which were advertised in his 1901 catalog as the “finest spur ever made with 100 different inlays.” It was double-mounted with the distinctive patterns of a pinwheel on one side and a diamond on the other and embellished with a 1¼ inlaid rowel. The most common marking on his spurs was the name “G.S. Garcia” inside the heel band of one spur and “Elko, Nev.” inside the other.

The Northern Plains and Great Plains spurs, which essentially combined elements from the California and Texas styles, were generally of one-piece construction and decorated with inlay or overlay, as well as silver conchos used on both the shanks and heel bands. Many of these spurs featured beautifully engraved surfaces and fine workmanship.

In the late 1800’s, Texas-style spurs were forged of one piece and were constructed with either swinging or stationary buttons, usually on turned-up heel bands. Often they were only half-mounted, featuring overlaid decorations on the outside of the band. Because these spurs were generally plainer and more utilitarian than the California spurs, they rarely featured chains or chap guards.

By the 1880’s, several Texas craftsmen started making fancier spurs, which in some collectors’ eyes surpassed the dashing style of the California spur. Two of the most distinctive spurs were the gal-leg and gooseneck. Considered the granddaddy of the Texas-style spur and the first in Texas to market a handmade spur, John Robert McChesney hammered his first spur out of forged iron in 1887. He ultimately opened the McChesney Bit & Spur Company in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma after working in Gainesville, Texas. His company became a respected leader in the business nationwide. Some credit him for the gal-leg design, but

others believe R.L. Causey or Tom Johnson of Texas made this sensuous shank. Some historians are yet undecided. There is no doubt, however, that McChesney was famous for this style.

Not every set of cowboy spurs was made by a commercial manufacturer or skilled craftsman. Western penitentiaries started arts and crafts programs for inmates that ranged from saddles to furniture to hitched-horsehair bridles. A popular prison-made item was spurs. Many of the Western inmates had often worked on ranches and were therefore familiar with spurs. From the turn of the century to 1930, many fine spurs were produced at the Colorado State Prison in Canon City. Prison spurs are typically stout with bold silver inlays and engraving. Other productive spur making prisons included the Arizona Territorial Prison, Utah State Prison, Wyoming State Prison, and Washington State Prison at Walla Walla. And, of course, inmates serving time in the Lone Star State of Texas were adept at making spurs.

Many a set of spurs were often made on a ranch by the local blacksmith and sometimes even by cowboys themselves when time permitted. Needless to say, these ranch-made spurs ranged widely in quality. Sometimes very crude spurs were fashioned from scrap iron, buggy axles, or barn hinges. Often, they were not exactly works of art. But from time to time the more skilled hand was able to copy the latest fashions and produced spurs to be proud of.

Spurs can be, and often are, works of functional art. A necessary tool for the horseman, cowboy, vaquero, knights, the mounted soldier, and the Western shooter of today. In what has turned out to be the never-ending quest in my household for “cowboy stuff” and “cowboy clothing,” I am always impressed by a handsome set of spurs. I was once the proud owner of an original set of Spanish Colonial spurs. Some enterprising thief relieved me of that treasured item years ago. The welcome interest across the country in the Old West (and earlier) might someday

cause another set to make its way to me. If not, I’m content to enjoy visiting the vendors at shooting matches selling a wonderfully wide variety of spurs, and viewing the wide variety of spurs being worn by fellow shooters.

Obtaining more information about cowboy spurs:

I could easily take up a few pages listing reference material available for someone interested in learning a great deal more about cowboy spurs. Since space won’t permit that, I can mention a couple of folks and some publications that I highly recommend. In upcoming issues in our book review section, we will be taking a detailed look at these and other cowboy-related publications.

Some of the information and photos for this article were obtained from an article from the New England Antiques Journal™ entitled “Collecting Cowboy Spurs” by Joice Overton. Joice is also the author of the book “Cowboy Bits and Spurs” published by Schniffer Publishing. Joice and her husband, Bill, are collectors, and her knowledge on the subject of cowboy spurs is quite complete. She has earned the title “expert.” She has truly spent her life living the cowboy way and knows cowboy gear.

Other photographs and a significant amount of the information for this article were obtained from the book, “Cowboys & The Trappings of the Old West” published by Zon International Publishing Company. This publication is practically a “must” for the cowboy enthusiast, historian, or shooter. William Manns and Elizabeth Clair Flood composed an absolutely spectacular book that has and will continue to give me hours of fun and educational reading on the cowboy and his accessories. I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Bill Manns, and as my ole’ daddy would have said, “…Now that’s a feller who is welcome to ride with me!” “Cowboys & The Trappings of the Old West” has an honored place on my cowboy bookshelf, right next to my pair of gal-leg spurs.

Getting Started – Safety Tips for the New Shooter

By: Smith n’ Jones

Are you just getting started in cowboy action shooting? If you are, here are some safety tips that are definitely important for a new shooter, as well as a friendly reminder for the experienced shooter:

· It is advisable to use the same caliber for both your rifle and your sixgun. This ensures that you don’t load the wrong caliber in your firearm. You may not think this could happen, but it has, even to experienced shooters, and usually with the rifle.

· Make sure the safety glasses you wear have sides so back splatter does not get into your eyes.

· Keep the barrels of your rifles and shotguns pointed up at all times, except at the loading and unloading table. If you do not have a gun cart and have your firearms cased, then take the cases to the loading table to remove them and recase the firearms at the unloading table.

· Refrain from talking at the loading table while you are loading. If you don’t concentrate on the job of loading, it is easy to load the incorrect number of rounds for the stage, or slip the cylinder on your sixgun so that the empty chamber is not under the firing pin.

· When shooting the sixgun, hold it tightly. This doesn’t mean that one should squeeze it so hard that it is shaking, but tight enough to have a solid hold on the grip. This tighter grip will improve your accuracy and will also give you more control.

· Move through each stage slowly, concentrating on where you put your feet and hands, and how the rifle and shotgun are picked up and restaged, as well as how you draw and holster your sixgun. Don’t worry about speed, for this will come as the process of shooting the stage becomes smoother and more comfortable.

· Always keep the thumb off the hammer when drawing your sixgun, regardless of what class you are shooting in. The hammer should not be pulled back until the firearm is pointed safely downrange.

Hope this helps all you shooters, both new and experienced. Lock up you guns in a gun safe when not in use. Here are a few to choose from: